The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-04-07
TIE WEEK OF sEyEx DAYS.

As has been remarked by the com:
mcntatcrs, and rs is apparent to careful
readers, it would seem that some notion
OF the week of seven days was current
among the people whose history is re-
corded III very early times. that is to
say, at Il date long preceding Moses or
any OF the books written by him. The
proof of this is 10 be found in such
passages as The following: Genesis,
xxx, 81. where jacob is desired by
La6aa to fulfill her week" that is
LEANS week. in order that he might
also receive Rachel. The week appears
to express the time given up 10 nuptid
festivities. So aflerward in Judges,
xiv, where Samson speaks OF ''thc
seven DAYS of the feast" So also on
the occasion CT the death of Jacob,
Joseph made 4 mourning for MS father
seven days" (Gcnesis. J., lo.) But
''neither OF these instances. any moro
than Noah S procedure in the ark. 90
further than showing the custom of OBJ
serving term of seven days for sny
observance OF Importance. Tacy 90
not prove that the whole year or tie
whole month was thus divided 1T all
times and without regard 10 remark
able events. They do not indeed prove
this. but they suggest the division as
common and familiar and in some early
period recognized as an institution.
When. therefore. the children OF Israel
went down TO Egypt for what proyed 10
be very long sojourn in that country
they possibly were familiar with the
practice of dividing time by weeks. and
at all events the notion of seven days as
q convenient portion of time for tho
affairs OF lie would not seem altogether
strange to them. 1t is exceedingly
probable that on arriving in Egypt they
found the week established by the pras:-
tice OF the country. 1t will be observed
that it WAS in Egypt that Joseph mourn-
cd seven days for Jacob; and it IS pos
sible. Though there seems TO be no neces-
sity to assume The fact, that in SO doing
he WAS conforming 10 the custom OF the
country. as he did with regard TO The
ernbalming and chesting of his fathers
remains. But Independently of any
such consideration, il would seem high
" probable that the Israelties found
themselves in Crypt among people
who diEidcd the time by weeks Of seven
davs. We know that they did so at 4
laic: period; why might they not have
commented rs early rs before the So
iourn of the Israelitcs? The Egyptians
were. in fact, people very likely TO be
advanced in such !. matter rs this;
order and government. both ccclcsiasti-
cal and civil. were undoubtedly in q re-
markablc state OF perfection at tho time
to which reference is now made, aud it
would seem much more probable than
otherwise that 50 convenient IN ins,ltu-
ten rs the subdivision OF the month
into short periods had already been
established. 1t may be noted with
reference 10 the number seven and its
recognition in some form or another as
Il special number among the Egyptians,
that we have incidental evidence in the
dream of Pharaoh; the special form of
the dream, rs presenting seven fat and
seven lean kiue, may be supposed 10
have been connected with some fanil-
i:lritv in Pharaoh 5 mind with the num-
ber seven during his waking hours.
and as regards the is!aclitcs. Ii i,iay be-
observed that the period OF seven days
IS introduced into the most solemn
event of their Egyptian scjourn, name
II. the ordinan g Of the Passover.
.-Seren days shall yc eat unleavcned
bread; even the first daY We SHALL put
away leaven out OF your houses; for
w:ioscercr eatcih heaven bread from the
first until the seventh day. that soul
shall be cut OF from Israel. .''-fhs
Bishop of Carlisle ia she Contemporary
IeC.GLJ.